Bailkoad-signal



'BUSSER.

Railioad Signal. No. 13,378. I Patented Aug. 7, 1855.

N. PETERS Hmum n hqr. Via-M1510, D. c.

' UNITED STATES PATENT orrron.

JACOB BUSSER, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILROAD-SIGNAL.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 13,378, dated August 7, 1855.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JACOB BUSSER, of the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Machine for Preventing Accidents on Drawbridges and Curves on Railroads; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure l is a perspective view and Fig. 2 a longitudinal elevation with the inclined bed D in section.

Like letters refer to like parts.

A and B are two metal cams of any suitable shape. The lo-wer part of the cam A acts upon the elliptic spring C while the lower end of the cam B passing through a slot in the spring operates upon the rod or bar E. The cams may be let into the rails or notit is immaterial. They are slightly elevated above the top of the rail, so thatwhen a train passes over them they are brought into act-ion. C a strong elliptic spring one end of which is securely fastened to the inclined bed D in any suitable man ner, the other end being loose and working against a shoulder or catch on the end of the bar or rod E; D, an inclined bed, grooved for the purpose of admitting the rod E, which is allowed to work freely therein; E, rod or bar directly acted upon by the elliptic spring C; F, a rod connecting the rod E with the lower end of the hammer rod; G, a spiral spring on the rod E, of suflicient strength to draw the various parts back to their original positions after the passing of a train.

H and H are two bells, the bell H being placed near the cams, while the bell H is securely fixed on the draw; M, hammer acting upon the bell H I, a ball on the end of the rod S which strikes the bell H; S, a metal rod operated upon by the vertical spring P; O, 0, two clamps on the rod S forming a catch or jaw for the reception of the upper end of the vertical spring P.

N is an adjustable arm or bent bar on the hammer rod, being held in its place by a set screw; by means of said screw the length of the act-ing part may be increased and of course the strength of the alarm varied at pleasure; P, a strong vertical spring which moves the rod S; Q, an iron plate forming the top of the inclined bed D; T, T, rails.

The operation of the machine is as follows: A train on passing over the road and toward the bridge or curve presses the cam A on the elliptic spring C, which acting against the shoulder or catch on the bar E pushes it forward, causing the hammer M to strike against bell H thus giving the alarm on the bridge. The arm N on the hammer rod is at the same time forced against the spring P, which draws the rod S, thus making the ball I to strike against the bell H, giving the alarm on the road simultaneously with that on the bridge. The spiral spring G on the rod E draws all the parts to their original position after the passage of each wheel. From the preceding it will be seen that each wheel on the one side of the train causes an alarm. Then the draw is open the connection between the alarm and the cam is broken by the removal of the bell H and the vertical spring P, for both being fixed to the draw are removed with it. Should a train then pass over the cam A there can be no alarm at either the bridge or the road, for the bell H and the vertical spring P being out of the way the hammer has nothing to strike against. Consequently the engineer not hearing the usual notice that all is safe will stop the train. WVhen the draw is closed the vertical spring passes into the jaw or catch formed by the clamps O, O, the bell H is brought opposite the hammer M, and all is then ready for action The cars coming from the bridge will cause no alarm, as they first press on the cam B, which disengages the catch on the rod E from the spring C, the wheels of the train passing over the cam A before the catch has again taken hold of the spring C.

To more clearly illustrate the manner of passing over the cams B, A, when running from the draw, so as not to sound the alarm, it will be recollected that the rod passing down from the cam B, passes through a slot in the spring C, and is not connected with the spring, but rests on the bar or rod E. The bar E has a hook at its end against which the spring C, catches, and when caught, and the cam A is pressed down, the tendency to straighten out the spring pushes forward the rod E, which runs to the 11ammer and brings said hammer against the bell. But when the engine is running from the draw it first presses down the cam B, which through its rod disconnects or forces the rod E, and its catch away from the end of the spring, and then as the spring straightens out by the pressure on the cam A being disconnected from the spring of course the rod E, cannot be operated, or any alarm sounded.

I do not confine myself to the bells for producing the alarm, as the same may be efl'ected by means of a gong or any other suitable device. Nor do I confine myself to placing the parts above and below ground, as shown in the model and herein described, as it may be better that the parts be all placed under ground excepting the bells and hammer or their equivalents. The

bells spring, cams, &c., have all been used in various ways for producing alarms. I

therefore do not claim them separately.

Having thus fully described the nature of my invention, I would state that I am aware that signals of various kinds have been so arranged and connected to a railroad track as to be operated by the passing locomotive; these I do not claim independent of my special means of arranging and operating them; but

What I do claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- The combination of the cams A B, spring C, and the rod E, operating upon the bell, or its equivalent H and spring P, which are placed upon the draw of the bridge, so that a locomotive in approaching the draw, will sound the alarm, while a locomotive coming from the draw, will pass over the same cams without sounding the alarm substantially as described.

JACOB BUSSER.

Witnesses: I

JOHN THOMPSON, SAMUEL DAY. 

